


Wing chairs

by Oreo_Lover



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:47:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24488476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oreo_Lover/pseuds/Oreo_Lover
Summary: And now, Henry and Virginia are sitting by the fireplace in wing chairs, holding each other's hands...





	Wing chairs

**Author's Note:**

> I dedicate this work to my friend, with whom the idea of this fic arose  
> Love u, Mary

Virginia Ellen Smith has never wanted a classic life. She's never enjoyed live of her mother - a real british housewife. Exemplary wife, caring mother of three children, member of the Norfolk housewives club - all this was not to the liking of the young lady. She dreamed of a life full of adventures and archaeological discoveries, and not meetings in the city garden with foolish women who only did that they talk about fashion and raising children.

Ginny's childhood fell on the years of the second world war. She, her brother and sister were evacuated away from shelling and hostilities, and their old aunt Marge agreed to shelter them. She lived in a house too big for a lonely old woman, at least Virginia thought so. She was widowed early - her husband, an English lord, died of halera, leaving her and their son huge money and real estate. In so doing, he provided Marge with a lifelong existence and a good education for their son Philip. But unfortunately, Philip’s life ended too early - he died in 1941 in the war when he's only 23 years old. This forced a woman to age a dozen years.

Ginny spent the two years staying at this mansion with benefit. Having proved to her aunt that she was not as stupid as Marge thinks, she secured herself unlimited access to the family library. And there was something to do there! The library housed a huge variety of books: from adventure novels, to scientific works on archeology and history.

From the first days, she plunged into reading, while her elder brother William had fun in football, and her little sister Marietta played with dolls.  
Marge taught the girl a lot, and most importantly - life. Upon arrival home, she knew how to flirt with men, how to make and find the right circle of friends. Virginia masterfully learned to communicate with people, to suck up to especially stubborn persons - all this was very useful to her in the future, and especially at the university.

Maybe that’s why Ginny became the aunt's favorite among siblings. She grabbed the raid, and gave Marge a chance, albeit for a short, but happiness.

In 1948, she entered the University of Cambridge, at the Department of Archeology. She was one of the best in the stream, more than once surprised teachers. In the third year, a new teacher taught them. Henry Brown was a tall, very young and ambitious gentleman in the best sense of the word. Dark-haired, brown-eyed, he seemed to Virginia very attractive, but she did not feel anything for him. While all the girls could not take eyes off him, Ginny argued endlessly and discussed with the young man. But by the end of the semester, he went on an journey to the Egypt, and they both forgot about each other.

But fate has a good sense of humor, and they were again destined to meet.

When Virginia graduated from the university, she went on an expedition to South America, where they met again. They got along well, constantly looking for adventures on their asses... He liked the girl as soon as he saw her again. Red-haired, with kind light brown eyes, she captured his heart once and for all. One day they were stuck without communication in the forests of the Amazon, where they stayed for two days, having in stock a small supply of food and fresh water. Then, for the first time in her life, Ginny panicked. On the same day, she first kissed him. And then, after 47 hours from the moment they left the group, the rescue team found them sleeping and hugging tightly.

When they returned home, they officially became husband and wife. The wedding was quiet, held in St Mark’s church in Englefield, Berkshire.

It was love. Real, strong, when you want to take care of this person for the rest of your life. They approached each other perfectly: both stubborn, loved to argue with each other. She liked to listen, learn something new, and he liked to tell, share knowledge. Both sought adventure every time and everywhere. He was 11 years older and wiser than her. Sometimes their relationship was similar to the life of friends, one of which is a person with a complex of an older brother.

At the end of the expeditions, they lived in a large house in Yorkshire with Charlie the black labrador. They woke up from the singing of birds, had breakfast on the veranda, surrounded by blackberry bushes. In the afternoon, they worked together on research in a large office. This place was the most peculiar in the house - there were shelves filled with books, scientific works, everywhere there were scattered papers with various notes, and two typewriters stood at a large table littered with illustrations, photographs, books and documents.

In the evenings they walked around, almost every day went to the heath. Then they returned home, turned on the music on the player and danced the nights over. Or just quietly sitting by the fireplace in wing chairs, holding each other's hands.

They both liked this rhythm of life: they spent several months away from England on travels and expeditions, and then returned home to Yorkshire. Where they just have not been! During the marriage, they traveled to excavations in Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Cyprus... This list can be continued for a long time, because in addition to working trips, they independently explored all of Europe.

But it could not go on forever. When in August 1960, Virginia said the coveted "You will become a father," they decided to change their lives. Expeditions ended, the suitcases were sent to the attic. This decision was not easy for them. Traveling to unexplored places beckoned to them. When Henry was offered membership in a trip to the Middle East in December, he said firm no. And this decision was fateful - a plane with 14 scientists and professors on their way to Jordan crashed over the Mediterranean Sea.

April 30, Virginia gave her husband the long-awaited first-born. It was a boy. Dark-haired like a father, but the eyes were mother's. Oliver, so called the baby, gave them an already vibrant life with new colors, delighting parents every day.  
Henry devoted himself to teaching archeology at Cambridge. He became a respected professor, had a good reputation in academia. Virginia surrendered to motherhood, because three years after the birth of Oliver, she gave birth to baby Charlotte. Having a lot of travel experience, she began to write. Ginny began with historical works, for which she had accumulated knowledge for many years. Then she tried herself in adventure novels and had a huge success.

Henry and Virginia lived a normal life for almost 20 years. In the evenings, they were sitting at the telly, on weekends they went to London or to fairs. Often gathered together with friends, went on holiday to relatives.

When the children grew up they decided to try again. Henry and Ginny joined the expedition to Morocco. They spent only one month in this country, but sensations and memories remained for life.

Unfortunately, their children never connected their lives with history. Oliver became a wealthy entrepreneur, and Charlotte connected life with equestrian sport. But children always loved to listen to stories from the life of their parents, even when they matured.

And now, being old, Henry and Virginia are sitting by the fireplace in wing chairs, holding each other's hands, they look at old pictures and photographs and recall their youth...


End file.
